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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] Gen 1 & Gen 2

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  • From: Martin Shields <enkidu AT bigpond.net.au>
  • To: K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>
  • Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Gen 1 & Gen 2
  • Date: Wed, 31 Oct 2007 16:03:31 +1100

On 31/10/2007, at 12:29 AM, K Randolph wrote:

I have heard from lectures that there was an ancient literary style
that went out of use about early to mid second millennium BC, the
title and author were added to the end of a document, instead of at
the front as is modern practice (since at least the first millennium
BC to now).

While it is true that certain Akkadian scribal works included a colophon which noted the identity of the scribe, I believe there are important distinctions between the toledoth clauses in Genesis (and elsewhere, cf. Ruth 4:18) and the Akkadian colophons which make them unlikely to be valid precedents for understanding the function of these verses in Genesis. AFAIK the Akkadian colophons include explicit affirmation that the named scribe wrote the words (Genesis does not identify its author(s)). Furthermore, as George points out, there are some places where it simply makes no sense to read the toledoth as concluding a section (e.g. Gen 25:12, 19; 36:1, 9). The toledoth clauses are better linked to genealogical information, not authorial information, and are best understood to stand at the beginning of a section, not the end.

Martin Shields,
Sydney, Australia.




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